HI.I have been hoarse since i am a human beeing ,always had a slow choppy speech pattern, and always getting shortness of breath while i am talking.I was recently diagnosed with severe LPR and a very inflamed larnyx do to LPR.My main problem is that i am almost unable to communicate with ppl because whenever i say a sentence ,even a simple one I sound slow,flat ,disrhytmic,... and i have to breath after every few words.Every conversation is a real tragedy.I wonder because most of the threads of LPR dont display communication as a major issue.Are some of you feeling the same?::

Yes! I had that for a year in the beginning. Even told to take speech therapy, which I did and it didn't help at all. I had to be able to talk first. Even if I wasn't that hoarse, you still could not understand me at all. I hate to tell you but that went on with me for a very, very long time. Some ENT spec said to use a liquid acid reducer since it would coat your vocal cords. Mylanta helps but give me D. When first diagnosed, I had bad issues with stomach but the LPR symptoms are the worse to control. I used a humidifier a lot and put my head over steam or stayed in hot shower a lot. The only thing that would get me better was to just rest and even that didn't work at first. I would stay in bed for 3 days and not say a word and "still" not able to talk after this. One ENT spec put me on pred and I had to stay silent for 2 weeks striaght. Hard to do and work. I still get this way occassionally but not as often. Drink lots of water, try Mylanta, steam and humidifier. I'm much better lying down and don't cough when I do. I hope this helps and you get better soon. It does take some time though. Have you seen ENT spec? You need your vocal cords looked at.

Thanx charberry. Yes i was by ent spec .in fact i have this condition since i am a child but was only diagnosed recently.did you also get out of breath while talking? I have no breathig problems but while talking.i'll try the mylanta.also what is it that "pred"that your doc. Put you on ,is it prednisone or what?

Hello Mayer! I am glad you just posted this. How ironic. I have been feeling like this for days now with my recent reflux flare up. I thought I was imagining things but now I know I am not. My throat is so full of mucus and gunk and today while I was on my cell phone at the bank with my friend I had to stop mid sentence and get a breath and swallow gunk. My breathing was deliberate and noticible by me. I keep going eeh hemm...to clear the mucus. I feel like my chest is a little tight or just uncomfortable. I don't know how to explain it. Does it make sense?

Does your throat feel a little tight or closed in? Do you notice your breathing pattern? Do you have gunk or mucus you have to keep clearing?? This is how I feel. Do you have all the burning or anything? Mine comes and goes. This is baffling me because my stomach feels fine and I don't have any burning in the esoph. or chest area. I feel fine. So what is this mucus deal?? I burp alot! And sometimes get hiccups. And I can't eat large portions of food at any meal time. It's better on me to eat smaller meals. I hope I don't have any other serious problem. Its giving me major anxiety feeling this way. I make myself heated up water and try to break up the mucus. I am really watching my diet. Right now I am just taking Pepcid and Tums. Some of the other OTC stuff has artificial sweetners in it that make me feel bad.

Do you have any idea's?? I don't want this to get worse. But mine does effect how I am talking to people because I have to stop and swallow and cut through the mucus, then try to clear it and get a good breath in. It is just so frustrating isn't it? Is that why you chew gum Charberry?? I do that too thinking it will help cut the mucus. I am just concerned about this being an asthma type thing. I don't want to stop breathing.

I can't tell for sure what it is because I have so many year round allergies too. But this seems to be different than the allergies that I have always dealt with. It is a different sensation. The mucus thing is so different than the itchy watery eyes..sneezing etc....its just solely in my throat...just full of MUCUS!! I don't really feel it is post nasal drip. I just can't tell what direction its coming from.

I'm still having the same problems as you two. Gum does help some with the mucus thing. Nueteralizes the acid. I had to take 1/2 Xanax yesterday because I got so anxious nervous/panic feeling. Went for a swim and that helped some just to relax myself. I hate this feeling, too. It was prednasone that ENT spec put me on for 2 weeks and no talking at all. It worked and my voice was great....for awhile. I can't seem to be able to do anything (as in motion) without the PND/cough/wheezing/SOB thing starting up. If I sit real still or lay down I'm ok? Think why I feel like staying in bed all day! Not a good thing. But then again, this never goes away for me to some degree. My voice has been good in spite of all the hacking and mucus lately but it sounds "thick." No burning either or heartburn. Don't feel like this is allergy since taking meds and not doing a thing. At one time I was on 13 prescriptions but I stopped the Nexium few months ago. May try again. I just don't know what to do. I can't tell any difference in what I eat or don't eat. Speech therap said to "keep swallowing." 2 exercises that I remember were to make a sound like a bee by going ZZZZZZZZZ, and to blow bubbles thru a straw into a glass. This was to help your speech. She finally gave up on me.

This is crazy isn't it? I get nervous too. I eithor like to lay still and work on my lap top. Or go to the gym or do something to get my mind off of this feeling. I sometimes wake up ok. Then it gets worse as I get into my day depending on my allergies and what I have eaten. I try to carry cool water or a warm cup out of the microwave. I chew gum too. Right now I am eating an apple and find that because it has texture it cuts through the mucus and kind makes it a little better. I just hate this!! I feel like it is ruining my quality of life. No one understands like those of you suffering. I guess we just take it a day at a time.

Thanx for reply,tedd and charberry.I went yesterday to doc. to make a PFT test and the results were FEV1/FVC 58.6% .They should normally be 75%. And he tried the test after a inhaler and it was better.Did you also do the pft test ? if yes what was your rate?

I don't remember what mine was but I have to blow out these candles on a birthday cake (this is all on a computer screen) to check my breathing. Whatever, I never do good in spite of using an inhaler the second try. In fact, inhalers have never done me any good even though I was put on every med known to man. I think some made me more hoarse.

Definately feeling the same. My speech problems are ruining my life and making me feel that I need to consider switching careers. People look at you funny as if it is something you have control of. Yah, like I talk like this on purpose. I am sooooo self conscious and embarassed. I would do anything to have my normal voice back...

Hi, I sympasize with you. I had a voice but it hurt everytime I talked. The burning drove me insane. My girlfriend had larengetise for over a year and they finnaly did the Fondu surgery and she gained her voice back.

For some strange reason....I haven't lost my voice in quite a few months and believe me at one time I thought I would never speak normal again. That went on for years. Can't say voice is as good or normal but at least there. Still sound stuffy or watery at times. Notice it depends on how bad I'm eating and I'm not good at following all the rules.